Celebrate Rosh Hashana with a fast, healthy baked apple

Kids can help make Baked Honey Date Apples for Rosh Hashana dinner or any other night of the week.Associated Press

Baked Honey Date Apples are a quick and healthy dish for Rosh Hashana dinner or any other night of the week.Associated Press

By Alison LadmanAssociated Press

Like many Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashana -- the Jewish new year -- is rich with delicious, symbolic foods. Rounds of challah bread, for example, signify continuity, while apples and honey represent wishes for a sweet year to come. Of course, just as important is spending time with loved ones.

So we created a dish to satisfy both the traditional food customs and the desire to spend time with family.

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Baked stuffed apples have the both the honey and the apples for the sweetness, yet take little effort to make.

The method is so simple even children can help. Adults can core the apples while the kids make the filling and stuff them. Let them get their hands dirty by breaking the walnuts, chopping the dates (if they're old enough), and mixing the filling by kneading it together in a bowl. The result is a sweet, satisfying dessert that isn't butter-laden.

Taking cues from the Mediterranean, we flavored the filling with orange and mint. It makes for a great contrast to the otherwise sweet blend of honey and dates. If you don't have (or don't like) dates, other dried fruit will work just as well. Try dried chopped apricots or raisins. The same goes for the walnuts. Substitute another variety of nut or leave them out altogether.

• Alison Ladman is a recipe developer for the AP. Follow her on Twitter @CrustAndCrumbCo

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